Accelerated Dual-Degree Program (B.S./M.A.) - Psychology and Clinical Mental Health Counseling

The Accelerated Dual-Degree Graduate Program between Psychology and Counseling is designed for students who wish to earn a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology and a Master of Arts degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. Undergraduate students may apply for admission to the program after completing at least 60 undergraduate credit hours. For students who are accepted, nine credit hours of graduate-level coursework for the Clinical Mental Health Counseling program will be completed during the fourth year and will count toward combined PS undergraduate major/graduate requirements.  Upon completion of 120 credit hours, students will earn their B.S. in Psychology and upon completion of the integrated program, students will earn their M.A. in Clinical Mental Health Counseling and will be eligible to become a Licensed Professional Counselor in the state of Ohio through the Ohio Counselor, Social Worker, and Marriage & Family Therapist Board.

Psychology

Program Description

Psychology majors receive a firm grounding in the scientific aspects of the discipline and are required to complete coursework in statistics and psychological research. This training is essential for students to receive adequate preparation for either graduate study or a professional career in psychology or an allied discipline. PS 1900 is required for completion of the psychology major. Psychology majors or those who are considering the major should take PS 1900 as soon as possible.

PS 1010 (or PS 1000) is the prerequisite for most upper-level courses in Psychology. PS 1000 meets the Issues in Social Justice requirement and PS 1010 meets the Natural Science distribution requirement of the Integrative Core Curriculum. PS 1000 or 1010 may be applied to the Integrative Core Curriculum or general elective credit-hour requirements. Check the listings in the schedule of classes each semester to see which additional courses may be applied to the requirements of the Integrative Core.

Psychology majors may elect to complete an interdisciplinary concentration in Neuroscience or one of four concentrations in applied psychology: Child & Family Studies, Forensic Psychology, Business, Industrial & Organizational Psychology, and Clinical & Counseling Psychology. 

Program Learning Goals, Courses, and Faculty

Please see the Psychology page for a full description of learning goals, concentrations, required and elective courses, and faculty.

Clinical Mental Health Counseling

Program Description

The Masters of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling consists of 60 semester hours of graduate studies and is designed to meet the academic requirements of the State of Ohio Counselor, Social Worker, and Marriage and Family Therapist Board for the licenses of Professional Counselor (PC) and Professional Clinical Counselor (PCC). The program is designed to meet the needs of the part-time student while also accommodating full-time study. Counselors licensed as PCCs function at an independent practice level, which allows them to diagnose and treat mental and emotional disorders without supervision. Additionally, with the supervision designation, they may supervise other counselors. Counselors licensed as PCCs may maintain a private practice. If an applicant already has a master’s degree in counseling or school counseling and is seeking licensure as a clinical mental health counselor, it is possible to be admitted to a post-master’s licensure program.

Students must bear in mind that academic requirements are only part of the overall licensure requirements, which also include an application procedure, state examinations, and verified clinical work experience. These licensure requirements are met after the conferral of the M.A. in Clinical Mental Health Counseling.

Admission Criteria for Degree Programs

An undergraduate major in Psychology at John Carroll University.

• An undergraduate cumulative GPA of at least 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale).

• Two letters of recommendation from persons familiar with the applicant’s academic work, professional work, vocational commitment, and suitability for the role of counselor are required. Ideally, these letters will come from former professors and/or employers who can comment on the suitability of the applicant for graduate study.

• A letter of intent from the applicant outlining career objectives and goals. The letter should be 400-600 words in length. It will be evaluated for content and grammatical and mechanical correctness. 

• Resume which includes both work and volunteer experience. 

• Applicants must participate in an interview process that may include: 

• A writing sample composed in response to a provided written prompt.

• An individual interview.

• A group interview.

On-campus group interviews may be scheduled during each semester. Applicants will be notified of the date when they apply. The letters of recommendation, letter of intention, and resume should be submitted to the Office of Graduate Studies, College of Arts and Sciences.

No application will be evaluated until all of the materials listed above, along with a Graduate Application form and appropriate official transcripts, are submitted.

The Department of Counseling accepts applications on a rolling basis. For best consideration, applications should be received by May 1 for fall semester and February 1 for summer semester. Applicants applying for graduate assistant positions should submit all materials for admission by the February 1 deadline.

The application material will be evaluated by the admissions committee. Possessing the minimum admission requirements, e.g., a 3.0 GPA, does not guarantee admission.

Retention Criteria

The unique interpersonal nature of the counseling profession requires that counseling students should be evaluated for their fitness as counselors. This comprehensive evaluation focuses on assessing the student’s academic achievement, the student’s demonstration of the personal dispositions needed in order to be an effective counselor, and the student’s adherence to the ethical standards of the profession defined by either the ACA (American Counseling Association) or the ASCA (American School Counselor Association) code of ethics.

If a student is found to be deficient, a concern conference will be held with the student in order to implement a remediation plan. If, after attempts at remediation, the student is still demonstrating inappropriate behaviors, or not achieving at an appropriate academic level, the student will be asked to leave the program. More detailed information about the department’s retention criteria can be found in its Graduate Student Handbook. Students should also review the Policies and Procedures section of this Bulletin.

Assessing students in this way is a requirement of both the major counseling accreditation body, CACREP, and the State of Ohio Counselor, Social Worker, Marriage and Family Therapist Board.

Program Learning Goals, Courses, and Faculty.

Please see the Clinical Mental Health Counseling page for a full description of learning goals, required and elective courses, and faculty.

See also the CACREP Standards.

Note: The Graduate Studies Learning Outcomes also apply to students in this program.

Required Courses

Undergraduate Psychology Requirements

Group A. Biological Basis of Behavior

Group B. Developmental & Social Psychology

One course chosen from:

Group D. Learning & Memory

One course chosen from:

Required Support Courses

Required support courses should be taken by the end of sophomore year. 

Combined Psychology and Counseling Requirements

The combined requirements should be completed during the fourth year.  CG 5435 will replace the Group C: Individual Differences general psychology major requirement.  CG 5360 and CG 5500 will count as a psychology major elective courses. 

The remaining 9 hours are PS electives. A total of 15 PS credits must be at the 3000-level or above.

No more than 6 hours of credit for practicum and/or independent study/research courses above PS 4010 can be counted toward the major.

At least 18 credit hours in the major must be taken at John Carroll University.

A comprehensive examination, given during the final semester prior to graduation, must be passed by all majors in Psychology.

Counseling Core Sequence

Clinical Sequence

Field Experience Sequence

Electives

Nine hours of CG electives are needed. Students can fulfill the elective requirement by completing nine hours of electives (CG 5515, CG 5516, and CG 5556) that fit their academic plan. Completing the Substance Use Disorders Concentration will fulfill the elective requirement.